This invention relates to surgical needles. More specifically, it relates to a catheter introduction device equipped with a needle shielding feature to shield the needle after withdrawal of the needle from the blood vessel.
With the proliferation of the AIDS virus, attention has increasingly focused on the transmission of blood borne pathogens from infected to healthy people. The transmission of blood borne pathogens through needle-stick injuries has received special attention.
Several devices have been proposed for the shielding of surgical needles after use. For catheter introducer needles, such shields have been in the form of sheaths which attach to the needle hub (e.g. McDonald's U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,718, Luther et al.'s U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,516) and sheaths which attach to a stop on the needle (e.g. Lopez's U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,453, Vanderhoof's U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,811). These devices prevent the sheath from sliding off the end of the needle by restraining the rear of the sheath. Other device include a barrier which prevents the sheath from being pulled back to expose the needle tip (e.g. Kulli's U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,241). In the cited references, a conventional needle is shielded by a separate sliding sheath. In contrast, the present invention focuses on the design of the needle and involves a redesigned needle which incorporates a sheath.